Skirt-supporter and shirt-waist holder.



No. 722,921. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1903. F. J; SMITH.

SKIRT SUPPORTER AND SHIRT WAIST HOLDER APPLICATION I'iLED OCT. 9, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

| :YzRs co. PHQTOJJTHO WASHINGTON 0 c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FLOYD J. SMITH, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES B. PHILLIPS, OF BLISSFIELD, MICHIGAN.

SKlRT-SUPPORTER AND SHIRT-WAIST HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 722,921, dated March 17, 1903.

Application filed October 9, 1902. Serial No. 126,444. (No model.) 7

T 60% whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, FLOYD J SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skirt-Supporters and Shirt-Waist Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has reference to a skirt-su pporter and shirt-waist holder of the class in which a flexible band is adapted to encircle the waist of the wearer and to support a plate provided with engaging points designed to enter the fabric of the skirt and the waist and hold them in their respective positions.

The invention consists of an elongated plate adapted to be secured in position by a flexible band and having a series of engaging points extending from opposite faces of the plate to engage the skirt and the waist for aconsiderable distance around the waist-line, and at intervals along each series 'of engaging points the plate is slotted vertically to permit of bending the same to conform to the curvature of the waist of the wearer.

The nature of my inventionwill be understood from the drawings whichaccompany and form part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of a preferred form of plate which I employ in carrying out my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the plate, showing the same in full lines before bending and in dotted lines after being bent to conform to the curvature of the waist. Fig. 3 is a section of the plate on line 00 a), Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a modified form of plate which embodies my invention. Fig. 5 is a section of the same on line y 3 Referring to the parts, the invention comprises an elongated resilient. plate 1, constructed of suitable resilient sheet metal. The same is provided with slots 2 to secure the ends of a flexible band 3, adapted to encircle the waist of the wearer and secure the plate in position. In the preferred form of my invention (illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3) the 50 upper edge of the plate is bent forward and downward and provided with closely arshown in dotted lines, Fig. 2.

ranged teeth or serrations 5, adapted to engage the fabricof the waist. Inlike manner the lower edge of the plate is bent rearward and u pward and provided with teeth 6, adapted -to engage the fabric of the skirt.

7 represents vertical slots provided at intervals along the upper and lower margins of the plate to permit of bending the plate, as

The advan- 6o tage of a maximum number of engaging points for engagement of the plate with the fabric will be apparent. Were only a few engaging points provided, as is a common practicein this class of devices, the same being arranged at distances apart, the fabric of the skirt and the waist would be liable to injury by tearing. Furthermore, as the engaging points :316 arranged along the margins of the bent :portions provided at the top and bottom of the plate if the slots 7 were not provided at intervals along said bent portions the plate would be rigid and unfit for use.

I In the modified form of plate shown in Figs. '4. and 5 the bent portions of the plate provided with teeth are stamped from the interior of the sheet-metal blank forming the plate, the upper and lower margins of the plate extending above and below the bent portions, respectively, thereby overcoming the tendency of the plate to tilt. The plate isalso provided with slots to permit of bending the same to conform to the curvature of the waist.

It will be seen that I have provided a skirt supporter and shirt-waist holder which is inexpensive in construction, effective in its application, and one in which the danger of tearing either the fabric of the skirt or the waist is reduced to a minimum.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a skirtsupporter and shirtwaist holder, an elongated plate having longitudinal bent portions "extending from the front and rear faces thereof, each provided with closely-arranged marginal serrations, said bent portions having vertical slots arranged at intervals along the same to permit of bend- Io: ing the plate to conform to the curvature of the waist, as set forth.

and rear faces thereof, each provided with closely-formed marginal serrations, and having vertical slots arranged at intervals along said bent portions, the bent portions being stamped from the interior of the sheet-metal plate, as set forth. 4

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my I signature in presence of two witnesses.

FLOYD J. SMITH.

Witnesses:

CARL H. KELLER, RALPH B. EDGAR. 

